Railway-switch lock.



FRANK MGGUIRE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

RAILWAY-SWITCH LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 30, 1907.

Application filed February 13,1907. Serial No. 357,172.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK MCGUIRE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, county of IVayne, State of Michigan, have inventeda certain new and useful Improvement in Railway-Switch Locks; and Ideclarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thesame, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertainsto make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a railway switch lock, and has for its objectan improved device of the character named, whereby the tracks at theconvergence of a switch and the main line may be set for either the sidetrack or the main line, and are held locked in this positionirrespective of whatever accident may befall the switch stand itself.

In the drawings:Figure 1, is a perspective of the lock frame and itsattachments, together with the section of track, showing the convergenceof the main line and a track. Fig. 2, is a sectional elevation of thetrack and switch mechanism, looking from right to left of Fig. 1.

1 and 2 represent the main line tracks, and 3 and 4 the side tracks, therails 13 and 4 being pointed in the usual manner at 3" and 4. Betweentwo ties 5 and 6 at the point where the switch is to be located, andfrom between whieh the earth or ballast has been removed, extends theusual rail moving bar 7, which is iixed to the points 3 and P of therails of the side track, keeping them uniformly at the same distancefrom each other in the same way as the tie pieces 8 are used furtherfrom the pointed ends. In about the center of the rail moving bar 7 isbolted a block 9, through which engages the screw threaded end 1O of thelocking bar 10, and Whose position is regulated by the nuts 10 on eachside of the block 9. This locking bar 10 extends as far to one side ofthe track as switch stands of any type are usually located, and beneaththe catch 11,, which is of such a size that either of the notches 10 or10 in the bar 10 just iit about it. The bar is resilient to such adegree that aided by a supporting eye piece 28 on the end side of therail 1, through which it passes, its tendency is to press against thebar 11, and when either notch 10 or 10 which is protected from snow andcinders by the overhanging leaf spring 29, registers with it, to slipthereabout. The outer end of the bar 10 is preferably curved somewhat toform a sliding seat 10 for the engagement of the foot 12 of thedepressing rod 12, when its shift from one position to another isdesired. A link 7 it connects the outer end of the rod 7 to the foot 13of a lever, into which form the vertical rod 14 is bent. This rodextends not only through the entire housing 15, but above the same, andsupports on its top end the fan 16 and fork 17.

In the position shown in Fig. 1, the switch is set to give a clear maintrack. If it is desired to throw in the side track, the pad-1 ck i 18 isfirst removed -from the holding position I through the tip 1.9" of thelever 19, which is pivoted in part at the top of the stem 12 and i isfurnished further holding leverage by the engagement of the hook 19 overthe edge of the top 20 of the casing. The raising of the lever 19depresses the stem 12 until the point 19 is lowered sulliciently toclear the hole 20 through which it is protruded. The depression of thestem 12 and the consequent pressure of its point 12 upon the bearing end10 of the bar 10, clears the entire bar from engagement of the notch 10about the cross bar 11. The lever 19 is then swung to the left of theposition shown in Fig. 1, that is, to the nearest point of the casing tothe track 1, and since the stem 12 and the bar 11 are made rigid withrespect to one another by the link 21, this results in swinging thehook. lever 13 to the right; this, in turn, pulls the bar 7, and with itthe bar 10, which has been freed, as described, from engagement with thecross bar 11, toward the switch stand, and until the notch 1O engagesabout the cross bar 11. The lever 19 is then depressed, so that itspoint 19 projects through the hole this, in turn, releases the pressureof the rod 12 upon the bearing end 10 of the 1 rod 10, which, because ofits resiliency, snaps into position with the notch 10" about the bar 11thus locking the switch until a further positive manipulation of theswitch stand mechanism again shifts the tracks.

The resilient and positive engagement of the bar 10 upwardly against thecross bar 11 makes it possible for the entire switch stand to be sweptaway by accident or otherwise without affecting the firmness with whichthe tracks are held by reason of the notched hold- 1 ing bar. Theturning of the rod 14, as described, of course shifts the fan and lampforks, so as to give the desired signal as to the condition of theswitch, as in the ordinary switch stand.

that I claim is 1. A railway switch lock, having in combination withfixed rails and movable rail points, a resilient bar attached to theunder side of one of the movable rails and engaging against thecorresponding parts of the other rails, a blocking bar fixed. inposition on one side of the track, with which said resilient bar isadapted to interlock, and means for engaging the resilient bar to permitrelative movement of its interlocking portion with respect to theblocking bar and for moving the bar lengthwise of itself to accomplish.a new location of it and of the rails with which it is connected,substantially as described.

A railway switch, having in combinati on with fixed rails and movablerails, a resilient bar yieldingly engaging against the under side ofsaid rails, being attached to one of the movable rails, a holding barwith which said bar is adapted to interlock in any one of a variety ofpositions, a switch stand provided with a vertically slidable stem,interconnecting means between said stem and the resilient bar, and meanswhereby the stem and consequently the bar may be de' flectedsufficiently to permit its passage from one position to another upon thelongitudinal movement of the bar under actuation imparted from said stemthrough said interconnecting means, substantially as described.

3. A railway switch lock, having in combination. with a fixed lockingmember and with the rails constituting the main and side tracks, aresilient bar engaging thereacross, being pivotally attached to themovable rails in the track and bearing closely against the lower face ofeach of the fixed rails, the free endof the bar being adapted tointerlock with said fixed member at any one of a plurality of points,means for engaging said resilient bar to effect the release of said bar,from said fixed locking member, and means for causing said bar to movelongitudinally while thus held from locking engagement to a new positionof possible engagement with said fixed locking member, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

FRANK MGGUIRE.

Witnesses:

H. BEACH, WV. M. SWAN.

